Therapeutic pillow

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a pillow for use in a supine sleeping position is formed of a foam body that has a top surface, an opposing bottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateral sides. The foam body is defined by a first region that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacent the second region and defining the rear edge. The first region has a convex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape. The first region having a first section that extends to the front edge and has a positive slope (convex increasing) and an adjacent second section that has a negative slope (convex decreasing). The pillow also includes a plurality of ribs located exclusively within the first section of the first region.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.61/639,587, filed Apr. 27, 2012, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to pillows or cushions and more particularly, tocustom, therapeutic pillows or cushions, designed to be placed under thehead and neck of a patient lying in a supine or side-supported position.

BACKGROUND

Because approximately one-third of all human existence is spent in asupine position, there has been great interest in developing pillows orcushions that properly support a person's body in such position. Somepillows are marketed as being posture or cervical pillows that aredesigned to support the head and spine, and in particular, the neckvertebrae, in the most normal, comfortable and unstressed position,thereby aiding in relieving stress in the cervical or neck portion ofthe upper spine, and for promoting proper posture.

The neck of a person lying in a supine or sidelying position is oftenout of alignment with the person's spine. This is commonly the case whenthe person's neck is supported by a pillow of multiple pillows such thatthe neck lies at an angle defined by the deflected height of thepillow(s) and this angle is typically not co-planar with the spine. Thedeflected height of the pillow is closely related to its stiffness,which is conventionally provided by filling material disposed within afabric covering. Conventional filling material can include feathers,cotton, or a synthetic filler.

Recently, a number of pillows have been formed of viscoelastic material,such as a viscoelastic foam material that forms the pillow. These typesof pillows are often referred to as memory foam pillows. Theviscoelastic foam responds to changes in temperature such that body heatmolds the pillow to conform to the curves of a body for comfort andsupport. This allows the shape of the pillow to more closely follow thecontours of the body and to promote an improved alignment of the neckand spine when a person is in a supine of sidelying position. Whilethese pillows provide comfort and some therapeutic effect, they often donot promote optimal alignment of the neck and spine. There is thereforea need to provide an improved pillow that not only is comfortable butalso provides a therapeutic effect and promotes improved alignment ofthe neck and spine when a person is in a supine or sidelying position.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a pillow for usein a supine sleeping position is formed of a foam body that has a topsurface, an opposing bottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing frontedge and lateral sides. The foam body is defined by a first region thatincludes the front edge, a second region adjacent the first region and athird region adjacent the second region and defining the rear edge. Thefirst region has a convex shape, the second region has a concave shapeand the third region has a convex shape. The pillow has a maximumthickness in the first region and a minimum thickness in the secondregion.

The first region having a first section that extends to the front edgeand has a positive slope (convex increasing section) and an adjacentsecond section that has a negative slope (convex decreasing section).The pillow also includes a plurality of ribs extending longitudinallybetween the lateral side and being located exclusively within the firstsection of the first region. In contrast the second section of the firstregion being free of ribs.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a pillowfor use in both a supine sleeping position and a sidelying sleepingposition is formed of a foam body having a top surface, an opposingbottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateralsides. The foam body is defined by a first section constructed for usewhen a user is in the supine sleeping position and at least one adjacentsecond section for use when the user in the sidelying position.

The first section includes a first region that includes the front edge,a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacentthe second region and defining the rear edge. The first region has aconvex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third regionhas a convex shape. The first region has a first section that extends tothe front edge and has a positive slope and an adjacent second sectionthat has a negative slope. The first pillow section also includes aplurality of ribs extending longitudinally between the lateral side andbeing located exclusively within the first section of the first region.The second section of the first region is thus free of ribs.

The second section includes a first region that includes the front edge,a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacentthe second region and defining the rear edge. The first region has aconvex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third regionhas a convex shape. The top surface in the second section is elevatedrelative to the top surface in the first section.

Other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentin view of the accompanying description of certain embodiments thereofwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a pillow according to a firstembodiment in use in a first sleep position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pillow according to a secondembodiment in use in a second sleep position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a pillow according to a thirdembodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view thereof showing a two part constructionembodiment;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view thereof showing a single unitaryconstruction embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 14 is a front elevation view thereof;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view showing another pillow embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a front and side perspective view of a pillow according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a rear elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the pillow of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a bottom plan view of the pillow of FIG. 16;

FIG. 22 is a front and side perspective view of a pillow according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a front elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a rear elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a side elevation view of the pillow of FIG. 22;

FIG. 26 is a top plan view of the pillow of FIG. 22; and

FIG. 27 is a bottom plan view of the pillow of FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

In general, the present invention provides an orthopedic (therapeutic)pillow having advantages over other such pillows known and used in theart. Past orthopedic pillows often have a peanut shape or other suchconfiguration that for a majority of people is uncomfortable. Whilesleeping on one's side, such prior art pillows typically cause the neckto arch over excessively laterally, in turn creating pressure on thesmall joint in the cervical spine known as the uncinate processes. Thiscan cause the user to awaken with neck pain and muscle spasms and mayeven lead to osteoarthritis of these joints over time. Also, while lyingsupine, the shape of such prior art pillows often causes a forwardprotrusion of the head that can create an anterior weight bearingposture in the user, shortening the anterior cervical spine musculatureand increasing the curve in the thoracic and lumbar spine, therebyresulting in hyper-kyphosis or hyper-lordosis. Such poor posture overtime can lead to a variety of musculoskeletal problems with suchsymptoms as headaches, neck and/or back pain, numbness or tingling inarms or hands, etc. The poor spinal positioning and resulting poorposture caused by many prior art pillows can also irritate pre-existingproblems such as arthritis and disc syndromes. Since the average personspends approximately one third of his or her life in a sleeping positionand during sleep the human body repairs, it is important to be in abiomechanical position that will accommodate and enhance this process.The pillows that are the subject of the present invention fulfill theseneeds and yield further advantages, as described below, by generallyproviding an improved ergonomic design that promotes improved alignmentof the neck and spine when a person is in a supine or sidelyingposition.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a pillow 100 according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention and designed to promote improved alignment of the neckand spine when a person is in a sidelying position. As described below,the pillow 100 has a specific shape and contours to achieve thisobjective.

In one embodiment, the pillow 100 is formed of a viscoelastic material,such as a viscoelastic foam, which possess specific thermally responsiveproperties which cause the pillow 100 to conform to the shape of theportion of a person's body that contacts the pillow. The viscoelasticfoam has a lower stiffness or hardness at an elevated temperature ascompared to the stiffness at a cooler temperature. Conversely,conventional pillow filler materials typically have a constant stiffnesswith respect to a changing temperature. The body heat of the person actsto soften the portion of the pillow 100 in contact with the body, whilethe portion of the pillow 100 not contacting the body remains more firm.As a result, the pillow 100 allows for a greater comfort over aconventional pillow by accommodating each user's body form.

Any number of different viscoelastic foam materials are commerciallyavailable and can be selected for use in the present invention so longas they are suitable for the intended application and use as a pillowmaterial. Generally, there are several important considerations whenshopping for a memory foam product, such as the pillow of the presentinvention. Two of the main factors are the thickness and density. Memoryfoam comes in densities ranging from 1 lb to 5 lbs. Foam density of 5pounds (lbs) per cubic foot (80 kg/m³) or greater is considered highquality, although most standard memory foam has a density of about 1 to5 lb/ft³ (16-80 kg/m³). In addition, most bedding, such as topper padsand comfort layers in mattresses and pillows, has a foam density ofbetween about 3 to 4.5 lb/ft³. Very high densities such as 5.3 lb/ft³(85 kg/m³) are used infrequently in mattresses. The pillows of thepresent invention can be formed of materials that have the abovedensities and in particular, can in one embodiment have densitiesbetween about 3 and 5 lbs; between about 4 and 5 lbs; between about 3 to4.5 lbs; between about 4 to 4.5 lbs, etc.

For some bedding, memory foam typically comes in slab form from whichthe products, such as a mattress component, can be made and the slabscan have different thicknesses, typically in various thicknesses rangingfrom about 1 inch to about 5 inches. However, these are merely exemplarydimensions and properties and are not limiting of the present invention.

Viscoelastic foam products can be formed using any number of differentprocesses including but not limited to pouring the liquid foam into amold or the like to form a block which is then removed from the moldwhen cooled. More advanced technology creates the viscoelastic foam in avacuum chamber. Called vacuum injection, this process of manufacturingcreates a foam product of uniform density and ultimately, a high qualitymattress topper, pad, or pillow. Various finishing techniques can beused to form the viscoelastic product having the desired shape and inparticular, varies cutting techniques (e.g., a laser cut) can be used totransform the block of viscoelastic material into the end-use product.

The pillow 100 of FIGS. 1-5 is formed of a body 110 (such as aviscoelastic foam body) that is defined by a top surface 112 on whichthe user's body rests; an opposite bottom surface 114, a first side 116,an opposite second side 118, a front 120 and an opposite rear 122. Thepillow 100 has a length L1 and a width W1 and a variable thickness T1across the width W1 of the pillow 100 as described below.

The pillow 100 is formed such that is has several distinct regions thatare designed to contact and support the neck (spine) and head of theuser. More specifically, the pillow 100 has a first region 130 formedalong the front 120 of the pillow 100, a second region 140 formedcentrally, and a third region 150 formed along the rear 122 of thepillow 100. The second region 140 is thus located between the firstregion 130 and the third region 150.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1-5, the first region 130 and the third region150 are both generally convex shaped portions, while the center secondregion 140 is concave in nature. As best shown in FIG. 3, the topsurface of the pillow thus transitions from a convex surface of thefirst region 130 to a concave surface of the second region 140 beforeagain transitioning to the convex surface of the third region 150. Itwill be appreciated that, as shown, the first region 130 has a morepronounced curvature compared to the third region 150 which is definedby a slight curvature. The curvature in the third region 150 can be soslight that a portion thereof has almost a flat appearance before thepillow has more pronounced curvature at the rear edge 122 of the pillow.In other words, the third region 150 can be defined by a complexcurvature in that it can include a first section 152 that extends from atransition between the second region 140 and the third region 150 to afirst point and a second section 154 that extends from the first pointto the rear edge 122 of the pillow 100. The radius of curvature in thefirst section 152 is different than the radius of curvature in thesecond section 154 since as can be readily seen in FIG. 3, the curvaturein the second section 154 is much more pronounced.

The convex first region 130 is defined by a first radius of curvatureR1; the concave second region 140 is defined by a second radius ofcurvature R2; and similarly, the convex third region 150 is defined atleast in part by a third radius of curvature R3. It will be appreciatedthat the transition points between the adjacent convex and concaveregions can be defined by inflection points. In particular, the firstregion 130 which has a convex shape can be thought of as having a convexincreasing (positive slope) section and a convex decreasing (negativeslope) section and similarly, the second region can be thought of ashaving a concave increasing (positive slope) section and a concavedecreasing (negative slope) section. The same is true of the thirdregion 130 in that it can include a convex increasing (positive slope)section and a convex decreasing (negative slope) section.

The first region (roll portion) 130 is formed integral with the otherregions such that its highest aspect is vertically higher than the topsurface of the other two regions, namely, the second and third regions140, 150, respectively. In other words, the thickness of the pillow 100is greatest in the first region 130 (e.g., a roll portion) compared toboth the second region 140 and the third region 150 and is at a minimumin the second region 140.

When the user is in a sidelying position as shown in FIG. 1, the neck 20and head 30 of a user 10 are maintained in a substantially straightposture as supported by the first region (roll portion) 130 and thesecond and third regions 140, 150, respectively. More specifically, theneck 20 contacts and is supported by the first region 130 and thisprovides the proper alignment of the neck and spine.

The width W1 of the pillow 100 is constructed such that for many or mostpatients, the top of the head 30 extends to and at least partially seatsin the first section 152 of the third region 150 when the user is in asidelying position as shown in FIG. 1. However, it will be appreciatedthat a user's head 30 may be entirely contained within and in contactwith the second region 140.

In one embodiment, the pillow has a length L1 of about 20.00 inches; awidth W1 of about 12.55 inches; and a maximum thickness of about 3.57inches as measured in the first region 130 (which is the thickest partof the pillow 100). The first region 130 can be defined by a firstradius of curvature (R1) of 2.30 inches; the second region 140 can bedefined by a second radius of curvature (R2) of 9.12 inches and thethird region 150 can be defined by a third radius of curvature (R3) of6.69 inches. As mentioned above, the third region 150 can be modified soas include a flat or a section of reduced curvature relative to adjacentsections. It will be appreciated that the above dimensions are merelyexemplary in nature and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

It has been found that the construction of pillow 100 provides greatercomfort and a therapeutic effect as a result of the curvature of thefirst region 130 for supporting the neck in an optimal manner resultingin a neutral spine position being obtained when the user is in thesidelying position.

Now referring to FIGS. 6-9 in which a pillow 200 according to anotherembodiment is shown. Pillow 200 is specifically constructed to promoteimproved alignment of the neck and spine when a person is in a supineposition.

The pillow 200 of FIGS. 6-9 is formed of a body 210 (such as aviscoelastic foam body) that is defined by a top surface 212 on whichthe user's body rests; an opposite bottom surface 214, a first side 216,an opposite second side 218, a front 220 and an opposite rear 222. Thepillow 200 has a length L2 and a width W2 and a variable thickness T2across the width W2 of the pillow 200 as described below.

The pillow 200 is formed such that is has several distinct regions thatare designed to contact and support the neck (spine) and head of theuser. More specifically, the pillow 200 has a first region 230 formedalong the front 220 of the pillow 200, a second region 240 formedcentrally, and a third region 245 formed along the rear 222 of thepillow 200. The second region 240 is thus located between the firstregion 230 and the third region 250.

As can be seen from FIGS. 6-9, the first region 230 and the third region245 are both generally convex shaped portions, while the center secondregion 240 is concave in nature. As best shown in FIG. 7, the topsurface of the pillow thus transitions from a convex surface of thefirst region 230 to a concave surface of the second region 240 beforeagain transitioning to the convex surface of the third region 250. Itwill be appreciated that, as shown, the first region 230 has a morepronounced curvature compared to the third region 245 which is definedby a slight curvature.

Both the front 220 and rear 222 of the pillow are defined by roundededges which enhances the comfort of the pillow 200.

While the first region 230 has a generally cylindrical shape (rollportion) it is further defined by a plurality of ribs 250 that arestrategically placed along the convex shaped first region 230. Inparticular, the first region 230 can be thought of as being defined by afirst section 232 that extends from the front 220 to an apex (maximum)point at which point the slope of the curve changes. A second section234 of the first region 230 extends from the apex point to a transition(inflection) point that marks the beginning of the concave shaped secondregion 240. In other words and as shown, the first section 232 can bethought as being an upwardly sloped section (convex increasing) of theconvex shaped first region 230, while the second section 234 can bethought of as being a downwardly sloped section (convex decreasing) ofthe convex shaped first region 230.

As shown in FIG. 7, there are three ribs 250 that are located along thefirst region 230 and in particular, are located along the first section(convex increasing section) 232 thereof. In one embodiment, the ribs 250are entirely contained within the first section 232 and are not disposedwithin the second section 234. In other words, the ribs 250 are locatedentirely along the upwardly sloped portion (convex increasing) of theconvex shaped first region 230 and are not present and located along thesecond section 234. The present applicant has found, as discussed ingreater detail below, that the position of spaced apart ribs 250 on theupwardly slope portion of the convex region (roll portion) 230, with thedownwardly sloped portion thereof being free of ribs results in acomfortable pillow that is also therapeutic in that the strategicpositioning of the ribs 250 promotes improved alignment of the neck andspine for reasons discussed below.

As a result, in one embodiment, the second section (convex decreasing)234 does not include any ribs 250; however, it is within the scope ofthe present invention some type of rib structure could be placed alongthe second section 234.

Cervical lorodsis is a curve in the cervical spine, the area of thespine which contains the neck vertebrae. This curve is entirely normaland in fact desirable because it helps to stabilize the head and spine,but when the curve straightens out, becomes too deep, or faces in thewrong direction, it can become a problem. There are several treatmentsavailable for loss of cervical lordosis, with treatment being supervisedby a medical professional who specializes in spinal care.

The normal cervical lordosis (which extends from C1 to T2) should have a17-24 cm. radius, based on the patient's height. This is easily measuredwith the AcuArc ruler which is one of the commonly used techniques tomeasure the cervical curve of the spine.

In an optimal cervical lordosis condition, all segments should be onGeorges's line (posterior body line) which is a curved line that shouldtouch the posterior body margin of all of the segments of the spin inany of the three main curvatures. There should be an even spacingbetween each spinous process. Positioning of the head and spine shouldalso be assessed for anterior head placement (also known as Forward HeadPosture). The normal cervical lordosis (which extends from C1 to T2)should have a 17-24 cm. radius, based on the patient's height. This iseasily measured with the AcuArc ruler. The posterior arch of Atlasshould be centered in the space between occiput and the C2 spinousprocess. If C1's posterior arch “crowds” occiput, it is labelled as an“inferior” Atlas. If it crowds C2, it is labelled “superior”. The normalAtlas Plane line would be 18-24 degrees superior to the bottom of thefilm. A line under the bottom of the C2 body (Whitehorn's line) shouldbe parallel with the floor.

The structure of the pillow 200 allows the head 30 to arch back over thecylindrical shaped roll portion (first region 230) and be supported bythe center second section (second region 240) of the pillow 200.

Each of the ribs 250 is also a curved structure and as illustrated, eachrib 250 has a convex shape. The ribs 250 are spaced from one anothersuch that the regions between two adjacent ribs 250 represent a valleythat has a concave curvature. The ribs 250 can thus be defined by aradius of curvature (R4). The ribs 250 can be formed, as shown, suchthat they are uniform in that the radius of curvature (R4) of each ofthe ribs 250 is at least substantially equal.

In one embodiment, the first region 230 is defined by a first radius ofcurvature (R1) having a value of about 3.944 inches and each of the ribs250 has a fourth radius of curvature (R4) of about 0.500 inch. Howeverthese values are merely exemplary in nature and not limiting of thepresent invention and other values can be selected and used. The concavesecond region 240 is defined by a second radius of curvature (R2) havinga value of about 3.927 inches. One will thus appreciate that the valuesof the radiuses of curvature of the first and second regions 230 and 240are very similar with the second region 240 only being slightly less.This is in contrast to the third region 245 which does not have aspronounced a curvature and in the illustrated embodiment is defined atleast in part by a third radius of curvature (R3) of 6.693 inches. Therear 222 can be defined by a fifth radius of curvature (R5) which can beabout 0.500 inch in one embodiment. The curvature R1 is much morepronounced than R3.

As shown in FIG. 7, the spacing between the ribs 250 does not have to beuniform in that the distance between the center points (C1, C2, C3) ofthe circles that define the radii of curvature of the ribs 250 can bedifferent between the forward rib 251 (associated with center point C1)and a center rib 253 (associated with center point C2) as compared tothe center rib 253 and a rear rib 255 (associated with center point C3).For example, the distance (D4) between the forward rib 251 and thecenter rib 253 can be about 0.917 inch, while the distance (D5) from thecenter rib 253 to the rear rib 255 can be about 1.147 inch (as measuredalong the width of the pillow (i.e., front to rear measurement)). Thecenter points C1, C2, C3 are thus at different heights relative to aground surface on which the bottom 214 of the pillow seats. In theillustrated embodiment, the distance (D1) from point C1 to the groundsurface is about 0.795 inch, while the distance (D2) from point C2 tothe ground surface is about 1.586 inch (distance between C1 and C2 beingabout 0.791 inch) and the distance (D3) from point C3 to the groundsurface is about 1.941 inch (distance between C2 and C3 being about0.355).

In the illustrated embodiment, the length L2 is about 20.00 inches, thewidth W2 is about 12.50 inches and the maximum thickness T2 is about2.44 inches (as defined in the first region 230). Once again, the pillow200 can have any number of other dimensions depending upon theparticular application and intended use.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the embodiment shown inFIG. 7 are merely exemplary in nature and not limiting of the presentinvention.

In accordance with the present invention and as shown in FIGS. 10-15, athird pillow 300 is provided and is specifically constructed to be ahybrid/multifunctional pillow in that the construction of the pillow 300is designed to accommodate both persons that sleep in the supineposition and in the sidelying position. For example, many people do notmaintain the same sleep position all night and instead move betweendifferent positions. Amongst this group of people it is most common thatpeople move between the supine position and the sidelying position. As aresult, it is desirable for a pillow to accommodate both positions andoffer a therapeutic benefit in both positions. The pillow 300 of thepresent invention achieves this objective.

The pillow 300 thus shares similarities to both the pillow 100(sidelying position pillow) and the pillow 200 (supine position pillow).In particular, the pillow 300 includes at least one first section 400that has a construction that is identical or very similar to theconstruction of the pillow 100 and has at least one second section 500that has a construction that is identical or very similar to theconstruction of the pillow 200. In the illustrated embodiment, thepillow 300 includes a single second region 500 and includes two firstsections 400, with the second section 500 being formed between the twofirst section 400 and therefore, the first sections 400 define the twoends (lateral sides) of the pillow 300. As a result, in the abovearrangement, a supine sleeping position is in the center of the pillow,while the sidelying positions are adjacent thereto and are located oneither side of the supine sleeping position. The user thus can roll ineither the left direction or the right direction from the center supineposition to one of the respective sidelying positions and conversely,can move from one of the sidelying position to the center supineposition.

It will be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention,the pillow 300 can be formed such that it only consists of a singlefirst section 400 and a single second section 500 located side-by-side.

In the illustrated embodiment, the construction of the differentsections 400, 500 of the pillow 300 can be the same as the constructionsof the individual pillows 100, 200 and therefore, like elements arenumbered alike. In other words, the first section 400 includes the firstregion 130, second region 140 and third region 150 having the contoursdescribed hereinbefore with reference to pillow 100. Similarly, thesecond section 500 includes the first region 230, second region 240, andthird region 245 and thus, has ribs 250 as described herein in the firstregion 230.

As shown in FIGS. 11-15, the second section 500 has a thickness that isless than the first section(s) 400 and is thus recessed relative to theother adjacent section(s) 400.

It will be appreciated that the relative dimensions, such as the width,of each pillow section can be varied depending upon the particularapplication, such as the pillow size (e.g., standard, queen, king,etc.).

More specifically, since the pillow 300 is a hybrid pillow and includesboth supine and sidelying sections, some of the dimensions of the pillow300 are increased. For example, the length (L3) of the pillow 300 can beabout 27.00 inches, while the width (W3) is about 12.5 inches (as withthe other pillows 100, 200). Each first section 400 can have a length ofabout 9.00 inches and therefore, when there are two first sections 400as shown in FIG. 11-15, the single center second section 500 likewisehas a length of about 9.00 inches. Thus, while in the illustratedembodiment, the three sections 400, 500, 400 have the same length, thepillow 300 can made such that the sections are of different lengths. Forexample, the second section 500 can have a length that is greater thanthe length of the one or more first sections 400 and alternatively, thesecond section 500 can have a length that is less than the sections 400.

The transition between the first section 400 and the second section 500can have any number of different structures, including those shown inFIGS. 14 and 15. In particular, in FIG. 14, the inner edges 401 of thefirst sections 400 can be in the form of beveled edges, such as abeveled edge that is formed at a 45 degree angle as shown. This bevelededge 401 provides a ramp like structure between the section 400 andsection 500 that permits the user to move from one region to the otherregion and vice versa. The edge 401 can be formed at other angles aswell.

In FIG. 15, the edge 401 is formed at a substantially 90 degree angle;however, the edge 401 includes a rounded top 403. This provides asoftened edge that allows the user to more easily move from one section400, 500 to the other section.

In addition, while the two free ends of the pillows illustrated in FIGS.1-15 have a 90 degree clean cut edge, it will be appreciated that theends of the pillow can be formed to have other shapes such as a morerounded shape or another shape.

The pillow 300 can be formed using any number of conventionaltechniques, such as those described hereinbefore. In one embodiment, thepillow 300 can be formed as a single piece construction in that thedifferent regions 400, 500 of the pillow 300 are formed in a commonmanufacturing process, such as a common mold process (vacuum injectionmold process). As a result, the pillow 300 has a single unitary,integral construction.

Alternatively as shown in FIG. 11, the pillow 300 can be formed as a twopiece construction in that the pillow 300 can include an underlying baselayer 305 and a top layer 315 that mates with the base layer 305 to formthe pillow 300 with the regions 400, 500. For example, the base layer305 and top layer 315 can be formed in separate molding operations toform the separate contoured pillow base layer 305 and top layer 315. Itwill be appreciated that the base layer 305 has the form of the pillow200 (supine position pillow) and the top layer 315 has the form of thepillow 100 at least in part. In particular, a top surface of the toplayer 315 has the contoured shape of the pillow 100 in that the topsurface of the top layer 315 includes the regions 130, 140, 150 thatprovide the therapeutic effect for when a user is in a sidelyingposition.

An underside 317 of the top layer 315 is thus a mirror image of the topsurface of the base layer 305 (pillow 200) such that when the two matetogether with the underside 317 mating with the top surface of the baselayer 305, a clean fit results. The two parts 305, 315 can be adhered toone another using conventional techniques including but not limited tousing an adhesive that is placed between the two parts 305, 315.

Any one of the pillows described and illustrated herein can include alocator member that easily permits the user to determine the positioningof the pillow within a pillowcase. For example, the pillow can have atab (protrusion) that extends outwardly from one section of the pillow,such as at a front edge in order to easily to provide a tactileindicator to a user to allow the position of the pillow to be easilydetermined especially when the pillow may be covered with a pillowcaseor the like.

In one embodiment, all of the pillows described herein are constructedto fit within a standard pillowcase as opposed to requiring a custompillowcase. Alternatively, the pillow can be fitted with a custompillowcase that is cut to the shape of the underlying pillow.

It will also be understood that an accessory (not shown) can be providedfor use with the pillow 300 in that a middle top section that is similarto or identical to the part 315 can be provided for insertion into theopen space above the section 500 between the two sections 400. Thisaccessory would result in the pillow 300 having a uniform

The underside surface of the accessory thus has a shape that is a mirrorimage of the top surface of the section 500 to allow a clean, intimatemating (flush fit) between the accessory and the second section 500. Theaccessory can be used to transform the pillow 300 into a completesideyling pillow. In addition, the accessory can have different materialcharacteristics compared to the parts 315 that formed the sections 400.For example, the density (e.g., foam density) can be different than theparts 315 to provide a different feel in the center section compared tothe other sides. The accessory can be freely removed from the pillow300. One or more fasteners, such as hook and loop material can beprovided in one or more areas that are not in contact with the user ofthe pillow 300 for providing some means for securing the accessory tothe pillow 300.

Now referring to FIGS. 16-21, a pillow 600 is formed of a body 610 (suchas a viscoelastic foam body) that is defined by a top surface 612 onwhich the user's body rests; an opposite bottom surface 614, a firstside 616, an opposite second side 618, a front 620 and an opposite rear622. The pillow 600 has a length L1 and a width W1 and a variablethickness T1 across the width W1 of the pillow 600 as described below.

The pillow 600 is of a type that is configured for use with sidesleeping individuals.

The pillow 600 is formed such that is has several distinct regions thatare designed to contact and support the neck (spine) and head of theuser. As best shown in the side views of FIGS. 16 and 19, the pillow 600has a number of different regions from the front edge 620 to the rearedge 622. From the front edge 620 to the rear edge 622, the pillow 600has a step construction with the pillow 600 having a maximum thicknessat the front edge 620 and a minimum thickness at the rear edge 622.Between these two areas, the thickness of the pillow 600 variesdepending upon the particular regions of the pillow 600 and has astep-like construction.

The front edge 620 includes a pair of cut-outs 630 that are eachdesigned to fit a shoulder of an individual. Each cut-out 630 is in theformed pillow body and has a curved shape and in particular, has anarcuate shape (e.g., crescent shape).

In one exemplary embodiment, the depth of the cut-out 630 is about 1.50inches as measured from the front edge 620 to a center point of thecut-out 630. The two cut-outs 630 can have equal lengths (7.81 inches)are spaced apart from one another a prescribed distance (e.g., 1.98inches) that is selected such that if a person's shoulder (such as theleft shoulder) is disposed within one cut-out 630 (such as the rightcut-out 630) and then the user rolls over for sleeping on the oppositeside, the user's other shoulder (e.g., right shoulder) will naturallyfall into the other cut-out 630 (i.e., left cut-out 630). It will beappreciated that the formation of two cut-outs 630 in the pillow 600prolongs the life of the pillow 600 since the pillow 600 offers twodistinct pillow regions that can accommodate a user's shoulder. Thus,the user does not have to use the same region of the pillow every nightbut instead can prolong life of the pillow 600 by periodicallyalternating the pillow region that is used. The shoulder cut-outs 630thus serve as a locating feature for locating the shoulder of the userin a side sleeping position.

As described herein, the various regions of the pillow 600 arespecifically designed to provide equal pressure across the head and neckareas of the individual as the individual rests his or head on thepillow 600 in the manner described herein. In one embodiment, the pillow600 can have a length of about 26.0 inches and a width of about 14.10inches.

According to the present invention, the pillow 600 includes a firstregion 700 that terminates at the rear edge edge 622 and includes thecut-outs 630. The first region 700 is a planar region in which thethickness of the pillow 600 is uniform. A second region 710 is a regionof the pillow 700 that has incline (upward slope) in the direction fromthe rear edge 622 to the front edge 620. The second region 710 thus hasvariable thickness.

The pillow 600 includes a third region 720 that is adjacent the secondregion 710. The third region 720 is a region in which the thickness ofthe pillow does vary in that there is a slight increase in the forwarddirection of the pillow 600. The third region 720 has a slight concaveshape. The third region 720 can have a variable slop in itself in that afront portion 722 of the third region 720 has a greater slope than arear portion 724 of the third region 720. The front portion 722represents the second step of the pillow 600. The slope of this secondstep is less than the slope of the first step defined by the secondregion 720.

However, the slope of the second region 710 is substantially greaterthan the slope of the third region 720 since the second region 710serves as a distinct “step” construction between two relatively planarsections.

The pillow also includes a fourth region 730 that defines the front edge620 of the pillow 600. The fourth region 730 is a planar section in thatthe thickness of the fourth region 730 is at least substantially uniformalong the fourth region 730. The first and fourth regions can thus beplanar sections that lie in different planes (i.e., parallel planes).

As shown, the front edge 620 can be a curved edge (e.g., rounded edge(convex edge)), while the rear edge 622 can be a substantially flatedge.

As previously mentioned, the pillow 600 has a construction that providesfor equal pressure across the neck and head of the user and moreparticularly, the stepped construction allows for compression of thepillow such that the spine is maintained in a nuetral position. When auser rests his or her head on the pillow 600, the top of the head willseat on and be supported by the first region 700. The user's headextends along the first region 700, the second region 710 and at leastthe rear portion 724 of the third region 720. The neck of the user restson the fourth region 730 and at least partially on the third region 720(e.g., the front portion 722 thereof).

The fourth region 730 has increased thickness compared to the otherregions and thus represents a higher structure since in a side sleepingposition, the natural shape of the neck includes an inward taper sincethe head has a greater width than the neck.

The stepped construction provides different thicknesses of material andtherefore, has a complex compression profile across the width of thepillow 600. However, the compression profile is designed such that whenthe pillow 600 is in use, the spine is maintained in a substantiallyneutral position. In other words, the stepped construction of the pillow600 is configured such that the head and neck (spin) are supportedevenly across the width of the pillow 600. In other words, the differentcompression profiles of the different regions of the pillow 600 based onthe thickness of the pillow 600 in the region and based on the contourof the pillow in the region cause the pillow to compress so as tomaintain the user's spine in the neutral position.

In one embodiment, the pillow 600 includes a maximum thickness of about3.25 inches.

In accordance with the present invention and as shown in FIGS. 22-27, apillow 800 is provided according to another embodiment and isspecifically constructed to be a hybrid/multifunctional pillow in thatthe construction of the pillow 800 is designed to accommodate bothpersons that sleep in the supine position and in the sidelying position.For example, many people do not maintain the same sleep position allnight and instead move between different positions. Amongst this groupof people it is most common that people move between the supine positionand the sidelying position. As a result, it is desirable for a pillow toaccommodate both positions and offer a therapeutic benefit in bothpositions. The pillow 800 shares some similarity to pillow 300 describedherein.

The pillow 800 thus shares similarities to both the pillow 600(sidelying position pillow) and the pillow 200 (supine position pillow).In particular, the pillow 800 includes at least one first section 900that has a construction that is identical or very similar to theconstruction of the pillow 600 and has at least one second section 1000that has a construction that is identical or very similar to theconstruction of the pillow 200. In the illustrated embodiment, thepillow 800 includes a single second region 1000 and includes two firstsections 900, with the second section 1000 being formed between the twofirst sections 900 and therefore, the first sections 900 define the twoends (lateral sides) of the pillow 800. As a result, in the abovearrangement, a supine sleeping position is in the center of the pillow,while the sidelying positions are adjacent thereto and are located oneither side of the supine sleeping position. The user thus can roll ineither the left direction or the right direction from the center supineposition to one of the respective sidelying positions and conversely,can move from one of the sidelying position to the center supineposition.

It will be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention,the pillow 800 can be formed such that it only consists of a singlefirst section 900 and a single second section 1000 located side-by-side.

In the illustrated embodiment, the construction of the differentsections 900, 1000 of the pillow 800 can be the same as theconstructions of the individual pillows 600, 200 and therefore, likeelements are numbered alike. In other words, the first section 900includes the regions 700-730 having the contours described hereinbeforewith reference to pillow 600. Similarly, the second section 1000includes the first region 230, second region 240, and third region 245and thus, has ribs 250 as described herein in the first region 230.

As shown in FIGS. 22-24 and 26, the second section 1000 has a thicknessthat is less than the first section(s) 900 and is thus recessed relativeto the other adjacent section(s) 900. As a result, a side wall 1005 islocated between the first section 900 and the second section 1000. Theside wall 1005 is thus a transition wall between the two sections and asshown in the figures, the side wall 1005 has a variable height in thatat a rear 802 of the pillow 800, the side wall 1005 has a minimumheight. The side wall 1005 can also be formed at an angle (beveled wall)as shown in the figures. It will be appreciated that the relativedimensions, such as the width, of each pillow section can be varieddepending upon the particular application, such as the pillow size(e.g., standard, queen, king, etc.).

More specifically, since the pillow 800 is a hybrid pillow and includesboth supine and sidelying sections, some of the dimensions of the pillow800 can be increased. For example, the length of the pillow 800 can beabout 26.00-27.00 inches, while the width is about 14.1 inches (as withthe other pillows 100, 200). In one illustrated embodiment, the threesections 900, 1000, 900 can have the same length, the pillow 800 canmade such that the sections are of different lengths. For example, thesecond section 1000 can have a length that is greater than the length ofthe one or more first sections 900 and alternatively, the second section1000 can have a length that is less than the sections 900.

The transition between the first section 900 and the second section 1000can have any number of different structures, including those shown inFIGS. 23-24. In particular, in FIGS. 23-24, the inner edges of the firstsections 900 can be in the form of beveled edges, such as a beveled edgeas shown. This beveled edge provides a ramp like structure between thesection 900 and section 1000 that permits the user to move from oneregion to the other region and vice versa.

The inner edge can be formed at a substantially 90 degree angle and caninclude a rounded top. This provides a softened edge that allows theuser to more easily move from one section 900, 1000 to the othersection.

In addition, while the two free ends of the pillows illustrated in FIGS.1-27 have a 90 degree clean cut edge, it will be appreciated that theends of the pillow can be formed to have other shapes such as a morerounded shape or another shape.

The pillow 800 can be formed using any number of conventionaltechniques, such as those described hereinbefore. In one embodiment, thepillow 800 can be formed as a single piece construction in that thedifferent regions 900, 1000 of the pillow 800 are formed in a commonmanufacturing process, such as a common mold process (vacuum injectionmold process). As a result, the pillow 800 has a single unitary,integral construction. Alternatively, the pillow 800 can be formed as atwo piece construction in that the pillow 800 can include an underlyingbase layer and a top layer that mates with the base layer to form thepillow 800 with the regions 900, 1000. For example, the base layer andtop layer can be formed in separate molding operations to form theseparate contoured pillow base layer and top layer.

The invention is described in detail with reference to a particularembodiments thereof, but the scope of the invention is to be gauged bythe claims that follow and also by those modifications that provideequivalent features to those that are claimed as such modifications arestill within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pillow comprising: a foam body having a topsurface, an opposing bottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing frontedge and lateral sides, wherein the foam body is defined by a firstregion that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the firstregion and a third region adjacent the second region and defining therear edge, wherein the first region has a convex shape, the secondregion has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape, thepillow having a maximum thickness in the first region and a minimumthickness in the second region, the first region having a first sectionthat extends to the front edge and has a positive slope and an adjacentsecond section that has a negative slope; and a plurality of ribsextending longitudinally between the lateral side and being locatedexclusively within the first section of the first region, the secondsection of the first region being free of ribs.
 2. The pillow of claim1, wherein the foam body is formed of viscoelastic foam, whereby a headand neck of a user arches back over the first region as supported by thefoam body when the user is in a supine position with the head being atleast substantially contained in the second region.
 3. The pillow ofclaim 1, wherein each rib comprises a rounded rib.
 4. The pillow ofclaim 3, wherein the rounded rib has a convex shape.
 5. The pillow ofclaim 1, wherein the ribs extend along the entire length of the foambody from one lateral side to the other lateral side.
 6. The pillow ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs comprises three ribs, namely, afront rib, a middle rib and a rear rib, with a first distance beingdefined between the front rib and middle rib and a second distance beingdefined between the middle rib and the rear rib, as measured along awidth of the foam pillow.
 7. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the firstregion is defined by a first radius of curvature and a second region isdefined by a second radius of curvature, and the third region is definedby a third radius of curvature, the third radius of curvature beinggreater than the first radius of curvature.
 8. The pillow of claim 1,wherein the plurality of ribs have convex shapes with a radius ofcurvature that defines each rib being at least substantially equal. 9.The pillow of claim 7, wherein the first radius of curvature is about3.944 inches; the second radius of curvature is about 3.927 inches andthe third radius of curvature is about 6.693 inches.
 10. The pillow ofclaim 6, wherein the front rib defines a forwardmost point of the foambody.
 11. A pillow for use in both a supine sleeping position and asidelying sleeping position comprising: a foam body having a topsurface, an opposing bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge and anopposing front edge and lateral sides, wherein the foam body is definedby a first section constructed for use when a user is in the supinesleeping position and a pair of adjacent second sections for use whenthe user in the sidelying position, the first section being disposedbetween the second sections; wherein the first section includes: a firstregion that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the firstregion and a third region adjacent the second region and defining therear edge, wherein the first region has a convex shape, the secondregion has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape, thefirst region having a first section that extends to the front edge andhas a positive slope and an adjacent second section that has a negativeslope; and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally between thelateral side and being located exclusively within the first section ofthe first region, the second section of the first region being free ofribs; and wherein the second section includes a pair of arcuate shapedcut-outs formed in the front edge, the arcuate-shaped cut-outs beingspaced apart along the front edge for receiving a shoulder of a user inthe sidelying position.
 12. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the secondsection has a step configuration.
 13. The pillow of claim 12, whereinthe second section includes a pair of steps located between first andsecond planar portions that are located at the front edge and rear edge,respectively, of the pillow.
 14. The pillow of claim 13, wherein thefirst and second planar portions are parallel to one another.
 15. Thepillow of claim 13, wherein the pair of steps includes a first stephaving a first slope and a second step having a second slope, the firstslope being greater than the second slope and located closer to the rearedge.
 16. The pillow of claim 15, wherein a length of the second step isgreater than a length of the first step.
 17. The pillow of claim 11,wherein the foam body is formed of viscoelastic foam, whereby a head andneck of a user arches back over the first region as supported by thefoam body when the user is in a supine position with the head being atleast substantially contained in the second region.
 18. The pillow ofclaim 11, wherein each rib comprises a rounded rib.
 19. The pillow ofclaim 11, wherein the plurality of ribs comprises three ribs, namely, afront rib, a middle rib and a rear rib, with a first distance beingdefined between the front rib and middle rib and a second distance beingdefined between the middle rib and the rear rib, as measured along awidth of the foam pillow.
 20. The pillow of claim 11, wherein theplurality of ribs have convex shapes with a radius of curvature thatdefines each rib being at least substantially equal.
 21. The pillow ofclaim 11, wherein an inner beveled wall is formed at an interfacebetween the first section and each second section, the inner beveledwall having a varying height as measured from the rear edge to the frontedge.
 22. A pillow for use in both a supine sleeping positioncomprising: a foam body having a top surface, an opposing bottomsurface, a front edge, a rear edge and an opposing front edge andlateral sides, the body including a pair of arcuate shaped cut-outsformed in the front edge, the arcuate-shaped cut-outs being spaced apartalong the front edge each for receiving a shoulder of a user in thesidelying position, the body including a step configuration definedbetween the rear edge and the front edge, the step configurationincluding a pair of steps located between first and second planarportions that are located at the front edge and rear edge, respectively,of the body.
 23. The pillow of claim 22, wherein the first and secondplanar portions are parallel to one another.
 24. The pillow of claim 22,wherein the pair of steps includes a first step having a first slope anda second step having a second slope, the first slope being greater thanthe second slope and located closer to the rear edge.
 25. The pillow ofclaim 22, wherein a length of the second step is greater than a lengthof the first step.